The volume should be about one third to one half the size of your mash tun. You don’t need a ball valve or false bottom. The kettle can either be stainless steel or aluminum. We recommend a separate kettle for the decoction. The downside to that is having to thoroughly clean out the grain before sparging. Some homebrewers choose to use their boil kettle. You’ll need a kettle to boil the decoction. On top of your standard homebrewing system, the following equipment is required to decoction mash: Decoction Kettle and Heat Source Decoction mashing is possible on a traditional 3-vessel system, a brew in a bag set-up, and even an all-in-one system like a Grainfather. If you’re an extract or partial mash brewer, you’ll first need to invest in an all grain setup. What equipment do I need to perform a decoction?įirst of all, decoction is an all grain brewing technique. The malt profiles of Hefeweizen and Kolsch are certainly enhanced with even a single decoction mash. Even some ale styles benefit from decoction. Pilsners, helles, bocks, and dunkels are all great candidates. To accentuate malitness, subtle grain flavor, and breadiness, a decoction can really help. Almost all European-style lager beer can benefit from decoction mashing. What styles traditionally benefit from decoction mashing?ĭecoction mashing is widely practiced by European lager brewers. Proteins in highly modified malt can also be degraded if mashed too long, leading to poor head retention. decoction) can actually be detrimental when using highly modified malt.

This means that a single infusion rest is usually enough to convert the sugars. Expect to add about 2 to 3 hours to your brewday. Higher extraction of sugars from the malt.Imparts a richer malt flavor and deeper color.Some of the finest beers in the world, like Pilsner Urquell, are brewed using a decoction mash. Still, decoction brewers believe it is worth the extra effort. Increased tannins from boiling the grain also add to the mouthfeel of a beer.ĭecoction mashes are traditional and quite uncommon in modern breweries. Single and double decoctions are also quite common.ĭecoction mashing increases melanoidins in the mash, contributing to a fuller, maltier character in the beer. The most traditional is a triple decoction mash, where a decoction is boiled three times to achieve four different mash steps. What is decoction mashing?Ī decoction mash is a step mash where a portion of grain is removed, boiled, and added back to the mash tun to increase the rest temperature to the next step. However, the flavor addition is undeniable and worth the effort for many beer styles. Decoction mashing is labor intensive and many homebrewers find it unnecessary. Boiling also caramelizes the malt, adding color and rich malt flavor to the beer. This creates specific malt characteristics and flavors at different rest temperatures. Removing some of the mash, boiling it, and mixing it back in the mash tun raises the temperature of the mash. Looking for a rich malt flavor, beautiful head retention, and sparkling clarity in your homebrew? Decoction mashing – that often misunderstood traditional technique – might be worth trying.ĭecoction mashing is a traditional mashing technique for brewing beer.

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